1:54 ART FAIR GALLERY CRAWL – PART 2.

By Nii B. Andrews

The Sitor Senghor Gallery based in Paris, had a booth at the last 1:54 art fair held at the La Mamounia Hotel.

In their booth, art pieces by the Ivorian born artist, Ouattara Watts, were prominently displayed.

Damali and Sitor Senghor in a discussion at the booth.

But these were not the mammoth 3 or 4 meter sized canvases which the artist is famous for.

Sitor Senghor – the gallerist, explained that these were much smaller paintings that could easily fit into domestic spaces.

The fact that they were almost all executed in watercolor was not only intriguing but showed his mastery of a demanding medium.

Matrix #4, 2004, H56 x L75 cm, Watercolour. (c) Sitor Senghor / Courtesy (S)ITOR

The relationship between Ouattara’s work and that of Basquiat was unmistakable.

The two had met in a chance encounter while Basquiat was exhibiting at Yvon Lambert in Paris during January 1988.

Through Ouattara, Basquiat was able to make the long sought after African connection he wanted in his work.

The Mad Masters #15, 2005, H57 x L77 cm, Watercolour. (c) Sitor Senghor / Courtesy (S)ITOR.

They returned to New York together where Basquiat introduced Ouattara to the influential art critic René Licat and Keith Haring thus slowly facilitating Ouattara’s entry into NYC’s competitive arts scene.

Ouattara had planned to return to Cote D’Ivoire with Basquiat in order to seek a solution to the latter’s clinical issues, but alas, Basquiat’s tragic death intervened.

There are codes in Ouattara’s pieces which relate to important episodes in his life; he also references close relationships, the blues and jazz.

The beginning #5, 2017, H21 x L28 cm, Watercolour. (c) Sitor Senghor / Courtesy (S)ITOR

The codes include figures, numbers, symbols; all of which are supposed to produce an alchemy – a precious and useful synthesis.

His perspective is that science and art are complimentary.

“Spontaneity leads to creation, creation leads to research. We fall into science….the spiritual side keeps me going, it’s a way of being and living”, states Ouattara.

Crawl break….informal lunch with collectors, artists, gallerists during 1:54, Marrakech Palmeraie.

1 thought on “1:54 ART FAIR GALLERY CRAWL – PART 2.”

  1. Fascinating. .. codes in creativity. As one gains confidence in one’s field, these codes become intuitive and reductive, eschewing the literal.

    I am constantly decoding the fodder of my ideas, otherwise known as INNO-NATIVE ™. As ever, thanks for sharing.

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